11John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 9 July 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
Lord! Lord! What can I do, with So much Greek? When I was of your Age, young Man, i.e. 7 or 8 or 9 years ago I felt, a kind of pang of Affection, for one of the flames of my youth, and again paid my Addresses to Isocrates and Dionissius Hallicarnassensis &c &c &c I collected all my Lexicons and Grammers and Sat down to περι ενθε ς εως ονοματων &c. In this Way I amused myself for sometime: but...
12John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, [22] September 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
Considering all things, I admire D r Priestleys last Effort for which I am entirely indebted to you. But as I think it is extreamly imperfect, I beg of you to pursue the investigation, according to your promise to D r Rush , and according to your Syllabus. It may be presumptuous in me to denominate any Thing of Dr Priestley imperfect: but I must avow, that among all the vast Exertions of his...
13John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 12 July 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
I forgot in my last to remark, a very trifling Inaccuracy in yours of June 27 th . The Letter intercepted in Hichbournes Trunk which was reported to glance at M r Dickenson , was not in 1776. It was in the month of June 1775. Had it been June 1776, the English would not have printed it. The Nation had then too maturely reflected, on the necessity of Independence, and was too ripe and too hot...
14John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 11 June 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
I rec d yesterday your favour of may 27 th . I lament with you the loss of Rush . I know of no Character living or dead, who has done more real good in America . Robert Treat Paine Still lives, at 83 or 84, alert drol and witty though deaf . Floyd I believe, yet remains, Paine must be very great; Philosopher and Christian; to live under the Afflictions of his Family. Sons and Daughters with...
15John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 13 July 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
Let me allude, to one circumstance more, in one of your Letters to me, before I touch upon the Subject of Religion in your Letters to Priestley . The first time, that you and I differed in Opinion on any material Question; was after your arrival from Europe ; and that point was the french Revolution. you was well persuaded in your own mind that the Nation would Succeed in establishing a free...
16John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 15 September 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
My last Sheet , would not admit of an Observation that was material to my design. D r Price was “inclined to think” that infinite Wisdom and Goodness, could not permit infinite Power, to be inactive, from Eternity: but that, an infinite and eternal Universe, must have necessarily flowed from these Attributes. Plato’s System was “ Αγαθος ” was eternal, Self existent &c. His Ideas, his Word, his...
17John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, [ca. 4 October] 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
σὲ γὰρ πάντεσσι θέμις θνητοῖσι προσαυδᾶn . “It is not only permitted but enjoined upon all Mortals to address you.” Why should not our Divines translate it “It is our duty and our priviledge to address the Throne of thy grace and pray for all needed lawfull Blessings temporal and Spiritual,.” Θεμiς was the Goddess of honesty, Justice, Decency, and right; the Wife of Jove , another name for...
18John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 18 July 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
I have more to Say, on Religion. For more than Sixty years I have been attentive to this great Subject. Controversies, between Calvinists and Arminians, Trinitarians and Unitarians, Deists and Christians, Atheists and both, have attracted my Attention, whenever the Singular Life, I have lead would admit, to all these questions. The History of this little Village of Quincy , if it were worth...
19John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 14 September 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
I owe you a thousand thanks for your favour of Aug. 22 and its Enclosures , and for D r Priestley’s “Doctrines of heathen Philosophy compared with those of Revelation.” your Letter to D r Rush , and the Sillabus Syllabus , I return inclosed with this, according to your Injunction; though with great reluctance. May I beg a copy of both? They will do you no harm: me and others much good. I hope...
20John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 14 June 1813 (Jefferson Papers)
In your Letter to D r Priestley of march 21. 1801 , you “tender him, the protection of those laws which were made for the wise and good, like him; and disclaim the legitimacy of that Libel on legislation , which, under the form of a Law, was for Sometime placed among them.” This Law, I presume was, the Alien Law, as it was called. As your name is Subscribed to that law, as Vice President, and...